Rap-Rock

Today’s Track: Bob Vylan – ‘Health Is Wealth’

March 17, 2022 — Leave a comment
Pictured: Vinyl copy of ‘BV Presents: The Price Of Life’ (LP) (Available from April 22nd, 2022) (via Ghost Theatre)

Good Morning to you! This is Jacob Braybrooke, and Grime meets Punk today on One Track At A Time as we begin to digest yet another daily track on the blog into our ear holes, because it’s always been my day-to-day pleasure to write up about a different piece of music every day! ‘Health Is Wealth’ is the new eco-friendly single from East London-based Rap-Punk act Bob Vylan, a duo comprised of Bobby Vylan and his confusingly named partner in crime… Bobbie Vylan. Not to worry, as it seems clearly obvious that these are not their real names, and it is an evident mick take of the legendary Minnesota-born Blues icon Bob Dylan instead. Throughout their life span together, the two Vylan’s have toured with hardcore rapper Nascar Aloe and they are known for their energetic live shows that have reportedly resulted in them being banned from London’s The Crobar venue for their on-stage antics. They have opened for Nova Twins, MC Lars and Bill $aber, and they have collaborated with Tricky for a track from the Massive Attack alumni’s ‘The Test Of Time’ compilation LP. They also recently collaborated with Kid Kapichi for their track ‘New England’ in January, and they have also performed at festivals including Afropunk Festival in 2018. Having supported high profile acts like The Offspring and Biffy Clyro in recent times, Bob Vylan have just unveiled a string of headline solo tour dates set to take place across the UK in May and June, including a gig near me at The Portland Arms in Cambridge in June. They will be releasing a new album – ‘Bob Vylan Presents: The Price Of Life’ – on April 22nd via Ghost Theatre. Check out their latest single ‘Health Is Wealth’ below.

Bobby Vylan directed the companion video for ‘Health Is Wealth’ with assistance in shooting from Leon Wavey, and, commenting on the integral themes of the track, the ethical duo say, “We want to encourage people to eat and live as healthy as they possibly can and remind people that, when living with a government that is poisoning you with the food that is affordable, lack of investment into the mental health sector and is actively killing the planet with their agricultural and environmental practices, eating healthy and looking after yourself both mentally and physically, is an act of revolution”, in a press release. While not entirely representative of Bob Vylan’s discography as a whole because it feels less heavy and more old-school Hip Hop driven, ‘Health Is Wealth’ re-sets the duo’s sound with more of a Jazz influence and a quirky rhythm section led by upbeat Horn samples. Lyrics like “The killing of kids with £2 chicken and chips/Is a tactic of war, Waged on the poor” and “Just like fizzy wreaks havoc on the gums/And my old man said diabetes ain’t fun” discusses the effects of processed meat and the fast food sector with a light personal touch, while lifestyle-oriented refrains like “Plenty lentils and chick pea curry/20 minute meal for a man in a hurry/That’s real fast food that won’t break the bank/With enough nutrients t fill the tank” offer alternatives to the convenience and affordability of unhealthy ready meal foods. Other lyrics feel more politically driven, with sharp hooks like “Earth getting hotter while the sea levels rise/All because you want burger with those fries” and “Cattle farming still killing off the planet/And it tells us everyday that it can’t stand it” look at sustainable meal planning and hearty lifestyle choices from a wider perspective, and imply how the government’s lack of tackling these problems in favour of other sectors contributes to the issues. There’s enough socio-economically charged lyrics in ‘Health Is Wealth’ to fill a regular blog post twice over with analysis, but Bob Vylan add enough Brass samples to give the track a rhythmic flow and the Hip-Hop delivery feels upfront as to complement the diplomatic tone of the vocals nicely. Your mileage may vary a little on ‘Health Is Wealth’ depending if you think it is too preachy or not, but, for me, I enjoyed how it disassembles the flaws of industrialized food and drink business and looks at the way that the government affects society in terms of lifestyle habits as a whole from a DIY perspective. It feels old school in terms of Hip Hop direction while spreading very informed commentary.

Pictured: Bobby Vylan (Vocals/Production) and Bobbie Vylan (Samples/Production) (2022) (Photo via PR)

That brings us to the end of the day! Thank you for checking out my latest blog post, as your support is always highly appreciated, and I will be back tomorrow for ‘New Album Release Fridays’ as we take an in-depth look at one of the week’s essential new LP releases. This time, we’re spinning a single from the highly-anticipated fifth studio album to come from a Cambridge-born singer-songwriter who strutted her skills to the alternative music community with her lockdown EP ‘How I’m Feeling Now’ that she released in 2020. This household name has also wrote and produced material for a varied list of other acts such as Selena Gomez, Camila Cabello, Icona Pop and more.

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Scuzz Sundays: Papa Roach – ‘…To Be Loved’

November 21, 2021 — Leave a comment
Pictured: Cover Art for ‘The Paramour Sessions’ (LP) (Released on Sept 12th, 2006) (via Geffen Records)

Good Afternoon to you! This is Jacob Braybrooke, and it’s time for us to remember another of the ghosts of Pop-Punk’s past that dwindled after the late-90’s to the mid-00’s into a pile of ash for ‘Scuzz Sundays’, not forgetting that it’s always been my day-to-day pleasure to write up about a different piece of music every day! In a similar vein to last week’s entry on Hoobastank, Papa Roach have also been covered for the ‘Scuzz Sundays’ feature once before, but it was published over a year ago. ‘Last Resort’ earned a fairly ‘meh’ reception from me, and so it’s time to see if some of their later work can redeem things. Formed in Vacacille, California in 1993 when lead vocalist Jacoby Shaddix and drummer Dave Buckner came across each other on the Vacaville High School college football pitch and they bonded over their shared love for music. Known for hits like ‘Last Resort’ and ‘Between Angels and Insects’, as well as Gold-certified albums such as 2002’s ‘Lovehatetragedy’ and the triple platinum-certified LP release ‘Infest’ from two years prior, the Pop-Grunge group are also well-known for composing ‘To Be Loved’, which was originally featured as the theme tune for WWE’s ‘Monday Night Raw’ programme that was used between 2006 and 2009. It was the opening single of 2006’s ‘The Paramour Sessions’, which was titled as a reference to The Paramour Mansion, where the album was recorded. Dedicated to the memory of Shaddix’s step grandfather, who committed suicide that year, following a diagnosis of an unspecified form of terminal cancer, the record is a departure in sound for the band, as it trends into more of a Hard Rock sound instead of Nu-Metal like the group’s previous releases. Let’s revisit the album’s most popular single below.

In it’s late-00’s heyday, ‘To Be Loved’ slowly ascended to the #8 position of the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart and #14 in the Modern Rock Tracks charts that have been compiled by Billboard in the US, and it has been memorably used during the theatrical trailer for the 2008 film ‘Never Back Down’, which was directed by Jeff Wadlow (‘Kick-Ass 2’, ‘Bloodshot’) and boasted a star studded cast that included the likes of Amber Heard, Sean Faris and Djimon Honsou. Throughout the track, Shaddix promises he’s “Taking it back to the hardcore level” with some big vocal hooks and some jangly lead guitar riffs, marking a slight tease into the band’s older Rap Metal sound with a light Hip-Hop introduction that goes into something more distorted and alike to an uncontrollable frenzy, with a post-bridge that shouts ‘Screamo’ movement in a not-so subtle nature. Lyrics like “I want domination/I want your submission” and “I’ve gotta roll the dice/Never look back and never think twice” are what you would expect considering it was used for a long-running WWE TV product at one point, and the instrumentation fits the chaotic nature of the vocals with tight Drum riffs and upbeat guitar riffs. There’s some light use of snares, but they are paper thin. This feels water-tight on the whole in terms of sequencing, however, with a fast pace that never really lets up and an enthusiastic vocal performance that blends into the aggressive melodies decently enough. Overall, if you were looking for the pinnacle example of what a ‘Scuzz TV’ song was, this is the one. It is cheesy, an obvious crossover track with Pop elements, and a riotously paced single with some cheap lyrics. While I can’t comment on whether I believe it is Papa Roach’s best work, as I haven’t listened to enough of their own discography to get a full picture of that award, I thought this was fine overall. It is what it is. Disposable, but fun and it got the job done reasonably well.

Pictured: Papa Roach performing at the Reading & Leeds Music Festival (2014) (Photo via BBC Music)

If you really want to check out some of Papa Roach’s other more well-known past material, allow my prior post pertaining to Papa Roach to be your ‘Last Resort’ here: https://onetrackatatime.home.blog/2020/07/26/scuzz-sundays-papa-roach-last-resort/

Pictured: Cover Art for ‘Infest’ (LP) (Released on April 25th, 2021) (via DreamWorks/NPG Studios)

That’s all for today! Thank you for joining me for ‘Scuzz Sundays’, and I’ll be back tomorrow with another regular blog post in the long lead up to the ‘Countdown To Christmas’ rush! This time, it will come from a New York-based songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist who has released three studio albums and a 7″ single. Digital Trends included 2018’s ‘You, Forever’ in their list of their best albums that year.

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Today’s Track: Gorillaz (feat. Jelani Blackman & Barrington Levy) – “Meanwhile”

October 18, 2021 — Leave a comment
  • Pictured: Damon Albarn with Murdoc recording ‘Momentary Bliss’ in Kong Studios (2020) (Photo via PR)

Good Morning to you! I’m Jacob Braybrooke, and you’ve tuned in to One Track At A Time, where it has always been my day-to-day pleasure to write up about a different piece of music every day! It is quite unusual that I would cover such a big band as Gorillaz, and especially on a Monday instead of a weekend day where there would typically be more eyes and exposure to the site, but I hate to admit that I am fairly late to the party on this release already. ‘Meanwhile’ comes from Gorillaz – the beloved and eccentric project of Blur frontman Damon Albarn and visual artist Jamie Hewlett, which was listed as the world’s “Most Successful Virtual Band” in 2010’s Guiness Book Of World Records, and the duo also scooped up the award for ‘Best British Group’ at the BRIT’s in 2018. It has long become a vehicle for Albarn to experiment freely and make some exciting collaborations happen, and it has sold over 25 million records globally. The ‘Meanwhile’ EP was released with no prior announcement on August 26th, a new three track release that includes new tracks featuring Barrington Levy and Jelani Blackman on the title track, as well as additional guest spots from AJ Tracey and Alicai Harley on the other two tracks. Together, these three tracks are a homage to carnivals and growing up in West London – and they were all debuted during a live concert performance at London’s O2 Arena earlier in August, which was free to attend for NHS workers and their selected family members and it featured cameos from De La Soul’s Posdunos, Robert Smith of The Cure and Peter Hook of New Order. To say the animated animals behind Gorillaz have been in hibernation would be far from true, since the suprise EP follows up the release of the ‘Gorillaz Almanac’ last year, a graphic book documenting Gorillaz’ 20-year history as a project. Last year, there was also the release of ‘Song Machine: Season One, Strange Timez’ that paired quirky collaborations with new music videos and staggered single releases, which allowed Albarn to explore collaborations with artists like Slowthai, St. Vincent, JPEGMafia, Chai, Elton John & Schoolboy Q. Give ‘Meanwhile’ a listen below.

The titular track of the recent EP release includes featured spots from Barrington Levy and Jelani Blackman, and has been pitched, in the accompanying press notes, as a tribute to the cultural historical event of The Notting Hill carnival, which would have taken place in late August alongside the record’s release, but it was cancelled again due to the ongoing ripple effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. 2-D, the animated frontman, added, “Meanwhile Gardens are just round the corner from Memory Lane. If you get to Crawley you’ve gone too far”, to the document. The most noticeable element of ‘Meanwhile’ is how the tune plays with a nostalgic Grime element, with some smoky Hip-Hop vocals from Blackman during the opening verses that lay into the traditions and significance of the event in his life, with lyrics like “Play street with the street I played” and “See when the sound system break/We make the system shake” that reminisce over the fun of the carnivals and the cultural diversity that it celebrates. The chorus is an expansion of these ideas, with lyrics like “I love Carnival bass, ya don’t feel the same, That’s cool, don’t get in my way” that feels a little catchier, but it still feels grounded within the rumbling Grime-style instrumental beats. The second half of the tune, where Albarn and Levy enter the fray, similarly sings of longing for another live event disrupted by the pandemic and the rich heritage of the event, while exploring memory with a more call-and-response style of structure. These different pieces, including the first-hand Brit-Rap sequences from Blackman and the bittersweet tones of Albarn & Levy’s sections, are all held together cohesively by the interweaving Synth patterns that twinkle along to the stoned backing beats and the dream-like aesthetics of the overall package. This probably doesn’t feel like the most inventive lyricism that we have ever heard from Gorillaz before, but it is a charming and coherent celebration of Carnivals and their meaning of purpose, both to an intimate and broader perspective. The instrumentation feels bold and vibrant too, while the sound swoops in for a clear Grime element but never gets too harsh or abrasive for a casual audience group to find too disorienting, and so Gorillaz continues to feel like an exciting project due to the well-produced graphics and fun feature spots. An engaging reminder that Notting Hill is more than just a film.

  • Pictured: 2-D (Vocals), Murdoc (Drums), Noddle (Guitar) & Russell Hobbs (Percussion) (2017) (via PR)

We have covered a few of Gorillaz’ tunes before, including the launch track of the ‘Song Machine’ series, which featured Slowthai and Slaves. You can find out what I thought of ‘Momentary Bliss’ for an escape here: https://onetrackatatime.home.blog/2019/11/22/todays-track-gorillaz-on-melancholy-hill/. Alternatively, you can read up on their 2010 classic ‘On Melancholy Hill’ here: https://onetrackatatime.home.blog/2019/11/22/todays-track-gorillaz-on-melancholy-hill/

  • Pictured: Gorillaz with Slowthai in a press shoot for ‘Momentary Bliss’ (2019) (Photo via NME.com)

That’s all for now! Thank you for joining me on the blog, and I’ll be back tomorrow for an in-depth look at a laidback single from a London-based Psychedelic Jazz quintet who have just released their fourth studio album over the past weekend on Fire Records. The band are female-fronted and the one of their members was previously a member of Fanfarlo. The drummer’s production credits also include Bat For Lashes and Gruff Rhys’ “Neon Neon” project. Their style has been oft-compared to Stereolab.

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Scuzz Sundays: P.O.D. – “Youth Of The Nation”

July 4, 2021 — Leave a comment

This one was featured as DLC in ‘Guitar Hero 5’ and ‘Rock Band 3’. It’s Scuzz Sunday…

  • Pictured: Cover Artwork for “Satellite” (Released on September 11th, 2001) (via Atlantic Records)

Good Morning to you! It’s Jacob Braybrooke here – and you know that it’s the time of the week where we delve back into one of the Pop-Punk hits of the past, all in the name of Scuzz TV, because it’s always my day-to-day pleasure to write up about a different piece of music every day! An interesting story surrounds ‘Youth Of A Nation’ by the Christian Nu-Metal band P.O.D. – as the track’s inspiration comes from a trip where the spiritual Rap-Rockers were on a trip to a recording studio to record it’s associated album, ‘Satellite’, and the quartet were caught in a traffic jam. The reason for it was a school shooting at Santana high-school where a 15-year-old boy, Charles Andrew Williams, killed two and wounded thirteen. The tragic events and the press coverage of the situation inspired vocalist Sonny Sandoval and the producers to write ‘Youth Of The Nation’ when the album was consequently delayed. Released in 2001, as a single, the tune reached the top spot of the Modern Rock Chart and #6 on the Mainstream Rock Chart in the US. To date, P.O.D. have sold over five million albums worldwide, and they composed the theme tune for WWE’s Rey Mysterio. Spin it below.

P.O.D.’s guitarist Marcos Curiel recalled in a 2008 interview, “We were rehearsing and writing ‘Satellite’ a couple of blocks away from the school. On the way to the studio, there were all these helicopters and cars speeding by. We really didn’t know what was going on. When we got to the studio, this guy had the news on, and he was like, “This kid just went and started blasting fools”, so we started jamming, and that rhythm just naturally came out, then Wuv put that drum beat on, and the song was born”, as he told the Juiced Sports blog. Sometimes, with a song, it becomes an alive and breathing entity once it has unleashed on the world, with continued relevance as new cultural events develop. The tune is also divided into three sections: The first tells the story of a teenager who was shot when skating to school, the next depicts a girl called “Little Suzie” who is “finding love in all the wrong places” after being abandoned by her father, and the third depicts a boy called “Johnny Boy” who fails to fit in with his peers and ultimately commit suicide after a string of mental health disorders, as the band explore an overarching narrative of misplaced youth and unloved teens. It’s heartbreaking and heavy, but it’s also bold as the band pose a question that demonized youth in the press can be instead seen as damaged souls who require help. Instrumentally, we’re looking at a Linkin Park-like mix of theatrical synths, a lightly distorted guitar rhythm, and drums that pay no attention to subtlety. There’s also a hip-hop flow to the lyrics, which reminds me of Hamilton for the most part. It’s also playing out quite similarly to Cypress Hill in the ways it addresses serious issues through a dramatic narrative. The lyrics would probably come across as controversial to many as it humanizes school shooters, particularly through it’s backing vocals comprised of children’s singing. On the other hand, I admire the bravery and their fresh approach to the topic. The band never hesitate to roll out the stadium sound of the electric drum kit for the chorus either, and the guitars/drums combo sound really nice here because they sound Blues-inspired and harsh. On the whole, it fumbles around a little towards the end with differing tones on the melodies that clash a little, but it’s pretty enjoyable stuff, all things considered. It has it’s core message, and it still brings unique ideas to the table with it’s lyrics. A hardened version of their 00’s peers.

  • Pictured: Sonny Sandoval (Lead Vocals), Traa Daniels (Bass Guitar/Unclean Vocals), Marcos Curiel (Lead Guitar/Programming/Backing Vocals) and Wuv Bernado (Drums/Rhythm Guitar) (2003) (via PR)

If you’re still feeling ‘Alive’ enough for some more P.O.D. on the blog, feel free to check out my previous review for the aforementioned hit here: https://onetrackatatime.home.blog/2020/06/28/scuzz-sundays-p-o-d-alive/

  • Pictured: CD for ‘Youth Of The Nation’ (Single) (Released on November 27, 2001) (via Atlantic Records)

Well, you’ve reached the end of the page for today! Please feel free to join me again tomorrow for an in-depth look at some brand new music from a new all-female Post-Punk trio who are making their debut appearance on the blog. The three ladies will be supporting Yard Act on tour, along with Baba Ali, in the autumn of this year in the UK.

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Scuzz Sundays: Limp Bizkit – “Rollin’ (Air Raid Vehicle)”

June 27, 2021 — Leave a comment

Get your bandannas, masks, the crew and motorbikes at the ready. It’s Scuzz Sunday!

  • Pictured: Fred Durst (Lead Vocals), John Otto (Drums), Sam Rivers (Bass Guitar/Occasional Backing Vocals), Wes Borland (Guitars/Vocals) and DJ Lethal (Turntables/Sampling/Programming) in a Covid-era promo (2020) (Photo by Kerrang.com)

Good Morning to you! It’s Jacob Braybrooke here – and we all know what time it is – as we revisit a heavy rock staple of the Emo period between the late-1990’s up to the mid-2000’s, all in the name of a little Scuzz TV, because it’s always my day-to-day pleasure to write up about a different piece of music every day! An unusual UK #1 Singles Chart hit for the controversial Florida-native Rap-Rock 5-piece group Limp Bizkit, ‘Rollin (Air Raid Vehicle)’ was a pop culture talking point when it appealed to the masses in 2000, taken from their third studio album ‘Chocolate Starfish and The Hot Dog Flavoured Water’, reaching the top 10 of several European countries and becoming their highest-charting single on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. It was everywhere – being used for The Undertaker’s entrance as the “American Badass” character in WWE for a few years. It was also made famous by ‘The Fast and The Furious’, ‘American Dad’, and by MLB player Scott Rolen. As of now, Limp Bizkit have just announced a UK Tour for next year and continue to work on their unreleased sixth album, ‘Stampede Of The Disco Elephants’. Despite troubles within the press and contentious live festival performances, Limp Bizkit have been nominated for three Grammy Awards, and they have sold over 40 million copies worldwide. Roll up below.

The chart success of ‘Rollin (Air Raid Vehicle)’ for Limp Bizkit in 2000 was bolstered by the memorable remix entitled ‘Rollin (Urban Assault Vehicle)’ which was put together by the quite popular hip-hop artists of the time DMX, Method Man and Redman. It was produced by Swizz Beats, and it was included as a bonus track for their ‘Chocolate Starfish and The Hot Dog Flavoured Water’ album. Of course, the leading actor of Ben Stiller appearing in the music video was a hot topic, too. As for the music without it’s branching tools, we’re given a fairly standard Nu-Metal rock tune built on bright melodicism and turntable scratching from DJ Lethal. Being the #1 hit they are predominantly known for, it’s exactly what you would come to expect from them. The verses come thick and fast, with a wall of huge-sounding guitar riffs that drive the aggression forwards at a brisk pace. I won’t even try to break the lyrics down because it’s so quick and nonsensical, but it’s mostly a rap-oriented delivery that constantly reminds you to put your hands up and just turn up the volume dial on your stereo to the max. There’s absolutely no substance to anything at all, with a vocal delivery that feels very squeaky and amateur. It’s still catchy though, with Fred Durst shouting a barrage of nonsense at a breakneck speed, chanting meaningless words like “Get it on, Every day and every night”, but with a flailing flow that just about lets him pull it off. I was never finding myself bored either, since there’s always enough going on within the jangled instrumentation to keep the speed gliding along. It’s an incoherent mess, with a cluttered soundscape, but there’s also plenty to smile at here. It’s not taking itself too seriously, and I think that’s both it’s greatest strength and it’s most unfortunate flipside. There’s unintentional comedy, but there’s also a delightful sense of silly to indulge into. On the whole, it’s pretty toxic, but also a strange sort of genius.

  • Pictured: Cover Artwork for “Limp Bizkit Presents: Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water” (LP) (Released on October 17th, 2000) (via Interscope Records/Flip Records)

That’s all for now! Thank you for reaching the end of your daily blog post – and make sure to join me tomorrow for a brand new Punk full-blaster that I would pitch as an alternative anthem to a certain European football competition that is happening at the moment. If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when every new daily post is up and why not like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/

Scuzz Sundays: Linkin Park – “In The End”

June 13, 2021 — Leave a comment

It was just another walk in the park for Agoura Hill’s Metal youths. It’s Scuzz Sunday!

  • Pictured: Cover Art for “Hybrid Theory” (LP) (Released on October 24th, 2020) (via Warner Bros Records)

Good Morning to you! It’s Jacob Braybrooke here – as always – for another entry in our ‘Scuzz Sundays’ catalogue, as we re-examine the output of our conduit for THAT phase of the late-1990’s through to the mid-2000’s, to see whether these heavy hits of yore still hold up to quality and value, not forgetting that it’s always my day-to-day pleasure to write up about a different piece of music every day! ‘In The End’ by California crossover staples Linkin Park is, if we are being honest, a basic choice for the feature. However, since we haven’t covered anything else close to it yet, here we are. Back in the day, Linkin Park’s music spanned a fusion of Rap-Rock and Nu-Metal before the band went much more mainstream, so to speak, with a sound that is really straight-up Pop music. A lot of their recent material isn’t exactly a creative endeavor, I’ll put it that way for you. There was a time, however, where, the controversy aside, Linkin Park were the ‘poster boys’ of the MTV Rock brand in the US, with significant exposure on the channels and selling their way to over 100 million albums worldwide. Kerrang named them ‘The Biggest Rock Band In The World Right Now’ in 2014, and the band are still working on new music to this day, despite a brief hiatus that began in 2017. ‘In The End’ was one of the main singles from 2000’s ‘Hybrid Theory’, which became certified as a rare Diamond by the RIAA. Just this year, it became the first-ever Nu-Metal classed track to surpass one billion streams on Spotify. Give it a whirl below.

The crown jewel of 2000’s ‘Hybrid Theory’, ‘In The End’ easily crossed over to the mainstream singles charts worldwide, reaching #2 on the US Billboard Hot 100, as a real sleeper hit, since it eventually reached the Top 40 two years following it’s release. It remains to be one of Linkin Park’s most recognisable tracks, despite a story which reports that the amusingly named lead vocalist Chester Bennington initially disliked ‘In The End’ and he didn’t want for it to make the cut of the track listing for ‘Hybrid Theory’, and so that would have been a mistake. A signature example of Linkin Park’s more popular and acclaimed sound, ‘In The End’ is known for it’s moody Piano riffs and it’s infusions of Rapcore elements, as Mike Shioda raps in the verses, before Bennington takes the lead for a melodramatic chorus. The lyrics are dealing with a break-up amongst Bennington’s constant struggle with drug abuse and the divorce of his two parents. Shioda’s Rap-Rock verses result in bars like “Time is a valuable thing/Watch it fly by as the pendulum swings” and “Watch it count down to the end of the day/The clock ticks life away” that combines the raw feel of Eminem with the hard-edged rock vibes of Evanescence. They come across as motivational, while the familiar chorus from Bennington is more bleak, depicting a conflict of emotions, chanting “I had to fall/To lose it all/But in the end/It doesn’t even matter” with a very heightened quality. The guitar riffs mix a wave of distortion with a catchy rhythm, and the glitched Drum shuffle which leads the verse adds some more depth. I feel this is a decent tune that is a victim of the ‘overexposure system’, so to speak, where it has been over-played to death to such a silly point now, and it’s difficult to invest in too emotionally. I quite like the moody aesthetics and the electronic Synth patterns, however, since I’m really not a “fan” of Linkin Park typically, it’s hard for me to judge. I find the rapping to be a little too much on the Corny side, and the overly angry chorus lacks range, with a flat, one-dimensional vocal delivery which downplays the emotion a little bit for me. That said, it was innovative for it’s time and a mismatch of different genre pieces, with a theatrical quality that appeals to a diversity of listeners, so I can easily see why it’s done, and it’s still doing in the decades since, big business for itself.

  • Pictured: Chester Bennington (Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar), Joe Hahn (Turntables/Sampling/Programming/Backing Vocals), Mike Shinoda (Rapping/Keyboard/Synths), Rob Bourdon (Drums/Percussion/Occasional Backing Vocals), Brad Delson (Lead Guitar/Backing Vocals) and Dave “Phoenix” Farrell (Bass Guitar/Backing Vocals) (2012) (Photography via National Geographic.com)

On that note – you’ve reached The End of another daily post here on the blog. We’re gunning for a transition into some smoother electronic music tomorrow, as we review some brand new music from a Bournemouth-born Ambient and IDM music producer who previously made an appearance on the site with his tribute track to the late-great DJ Andy Weatherhall, and he’s got a brand new album on the way for September. If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when every new daily post is up and why not like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/

Scuzz Sundays: Cypress Hill – “(Rock) Superstar”

March 28, 2021 — Leave a comment

The spiritual “Black Goat” of the Latin American Rap-Metal picture. It’s Scuzz Sunday!

  • Pictured: DJ Muggs, Louis “B-Real” Freese & Eric “Eric Bobbo” Corea (Date n/a) (Photo via Medium.com)

Good Afternoon to you – I’m Jacob Braybrooke and, yet again, it’s time for our weekly throw back to the relics of the Emo era world from between the late-1990’s and the mid-2000’s, to see if the ‘classics’ hold up to that moniker, because it’s always my day-to-day pleasure to write up about a different piece of music every day! Fronted by “The Black Goat” DJ Muggs (who has just put out some more solo material with a new album, for the record) – Cypress Hill, although technically still active, were California-based cornerstones of the Scuzz TV era. They sometimes got polarizing reviews from audiences and critics in a Nickelback or Imagine Dragons sort-of way, but they are still largely seen as the main pioneers of West Coast Hip-Hop from the 90’s, and the group have still sold their way to over 20 million units globally. In 2019, they became the first ever Latin-American rap group to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame. ‘(Rock) Superstar’ was a UK Top 20 single taken from their fifth studio album, ‘Skull & Bones’, released in 2000. It closely resembles the preceding single, ‘(Rap) Superstar’ in it’s duology subject matter, where the album was even divided into two sections on seperate discs – one exploring Rap-Rock and the other exploring Nu-Metal, by way of comparing and contrasting the band’s experiences with these two sub-genres. Check out the music video, with a cameo from Coal Chamber’s bassist Nadja Peulen, below.

If you are less familiar with Cypress Hill – each of the group’s members have always notably advocated for medical and recreational use of Cannabis in the States, which is a crucial stage of their mythos. Collaborations is another – with the 2000 release of ‘Skull & Bones’ alone seeing guest musicians like Chino Moren from Deftones, Brad Wilk from Rage Against The Machine, Dino Cazares from Fear Factory, and even the ‘Rap God’ himself – Eminem – pulling in some appearances. Back to the matter at hand, however, we can see some blurring of the lines between melodic Hip-Hop and commercial Metal on ‘(Rock) Superstar’. The track paints it’s dark tonal picture with the spoken word into by Chino Moreno of Deftones, before a tense violin string and slowly building drum beats gives the track a downbeat vibe. Lines like “I remember the days when I was a young kid growing up/Looking in the mirror dreamin’ bout blowing up” and “I wish it was all fun and games, but the price is high” look back at the dark edges of our childhood dreams. Sen Dogg recites a slightly more involved verse later on, following from the ballad-style narrative that B-Real delivers, rapping the likes of “You wanna look shanty in the Bentley/Be a snob and never act friendly” and “I heard that some never give full to the fullest/That’s while fools end up dining on the bullet” as the string section intensifies. The chorus sees DJ Muggs lay down a Trap beat, as “So you wanna be a rock superstar, And live large, a big house, 5 cars, you’re in charge” and “Comin’ up in the world don’t trust nobody, Gotta look over your shoulder constantly” permeate through the dramatic instrumentation and the harsh synth tones. I get an overall Hamilton vibe from this track – a strikingly similar one, as a matter of fact, while rich String instrumentation and heavily Rap-inspired Spoken Word sections tell the narrative with an intensely cinematic and character-driven style. The subject matter of the track isn’t particularly interesting, but the feel of Paranoia is easy to identify with, as a listener, and the beats remain mostly the same, although there is some decent guitar work going on here, with some distorted sounds and delayed pedal effects contributing to the atmosphere. The vocals feel slightly out-of-place with the Hip-Hop influences, but the drums on the hook make for some palpable aggression. To sum it up, I feel that it works. While there’s nothing here that truly blows me away, it feels different to the type of music that was around elsewhere in the day, and some effort clearly went into building the atmosphere here. An odd sense of commercial roots bogs it down a little and the pure singing abilities aren’t the best and feel a little ‘amateur dramatics’ overall, but the hooks are pretty enjoyable and the Hamiltion-style rapping is fun too. All in all – I’ll give it a thumbs up.

  • Pictured: Cover Art for “Skull & Bones” (Released on April 25th, 2000) (via Columbia Records)

Thank you for reading my latest blog post! I’ll be back tomorrow to do it all over again – with a new post that features a rising star Indie Rock 4-piece band who have been playing all over the UK and Ireland since they formed in 2015, but they are from West Lothian, Scotland. The band’s material has been used in a national advertising campaign for Strongbow cider. Their new single was released in support of the Scottish Refugee Council, with the quartet donating the budget for the video to the charity. If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when every new daily post is up and why not like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/

Today’s Track: Genesis Owusu – “Whip Cracker”

March 27, 2021 — 1 Comment

Title not to be confused with the Phil Collins-starring vehicle, Genesis. New post time!

  • Pictured: Cover Art for “Smiling With No Teeth” (LP) (Released on March 5th, 2021) (via OURNESS)

Good Afternoon to you! My name is Jacob Braybrooke and – you know the drill by now – it’s time for me to get typing up for your daily track on the blog, because it is always my day-to-day pleasure to write up about a different piece of music every day! The soundtrack to your Saturday comes from the rising star Aussie hip-hop producer Genesis Owusu, who had his origins set in his birth-place of Koforidua in Ghana, but he was relocated to the Australian capital city of Canberra when he was only two years old. I first came to discover Genesis (real name: Kofi Owusu-Ansah) around seven months ago, when his single ‘Don’t Need You’ was featured on The Current’s Song Of The Day podcast. I liked it back then, and I play-listed the track for airplay on my student radio station. All of that time later – his debut studio album, titled ‘Smiling With No Teeth’ was released on March 5th via his own label, OURNESS, and it really has come out of nowhere to become probably the strongest release of the new year so far. Filled with rich, carefully manufactured concepts around mental state and systematic racism, along with deep and satisfying grooves, and the surprise factor, he really has become one of the most exciting new talents for me, and one that I’d highly suggest that you get your finger on the pulse with. Genesis is also the brother of the two-time ARIA Awards-nominated rapper Citizen Kay. I think that my favourite track from the record is probably ‘Whip Cracker’. ‘Easy’, ‘Gold Chains’ and ‘The Other Black Dog’ are highlights too, but this track makes for a natural change of pace between the midway point of the record. On the track, he hits out at the stereotypes of his race and upper-class bigotry, which had been building throughout the previous tracks. Back in June, he released a black-and-white music video for the track, which he says was filmed in almost a single take, and directed by Bart Celestino. Let’s check it out below.

I did not previously know that ‘Whip Cracker’ had already been shared during the heights of the Black Lives Matter cultural movement over the previous summer, but it certainly makes a great deal of sense, with the bold subject matter of the track feeling ripe for those anxiety-inducing moments. Shared on an Instagram post at the time, Genesis wrote: “I’m not gonna sit here and try to convince anyone why me and my family’s lives matter. I’m not gonna be congratulating white people for not being racist, and I’m not gonna beg and plead for the justice of my people anymore. I’m taking that shit.” in his adrenaline-fueled post. He also shared links to Ways To Act, a resource that listed organisations which work with indigenous Australians. Back to the task at hand – ‘Whip Cracker’ is pretty much just that. Bolstered by references to Malcolm X and slavery issues, he delivers lines like “Spit up on my grave, Hope my thoughts behave, we so depraved” and “Hope your soul is safe, We gon’ hold your fate” with a great viscerality and an urgent flow. Rather than feeling like a series of buzz words of his naming and shaming, however, this more vaguely feels like a celebration of outspoken rights attitudes, although Genesis never shies away from the acknowledgement that more work needs to be done. For instance, the main bulk of the track sees an electronically-based synth opening slowly develop into a lovely Post-Punk backing for Genesis to hit his aggressive bars from. The guitar licks and the angular bass riffs just mould themselves into a slightly psychedelic Aussie Synth-Pop conclusion that makes the genre feel wonderfully tricky to really define. It also feels like there is a full backing band sound behind this – instead of just a lyricist and a producer that most modern hip-hop productions are often modelled after. The themes are edgy and rich, but the instrumentation is deeply satisfying too – with a fresh feel, as the metaphors featured in the prior tracks on the new LP are ditched in favour of a short-fuse, outspoken personality. It pays off hugely for Genesis, with the important messages of the track and the exciting production tactics making it feel like a viable, strong argument for the Best Single Of The Year, and I’m sure the record will be making an appearance on my Top Ten lists. I mean, it only takes you some listening to the album to find out that he is clearly not just your average rap artist. It’s fantastic.

  • Pictured: Genesis Owusu in a general promo press shoot (2020) (Photo Credit: Bec Parson/OURNESS)

As previously mentioned, I did cover ‘Don’t Need You’ on the blog back a long while ago, and I wasn’t as familiar with Genesis as I am now, but if you’d like to see how far that we’ve both come since that point, you can still peruse my little musing on that track here: https://onetrackatatime.home.blog/2020/11/06/todays-track-genesis-owusu-dont-need-you/

  • Pictured: Cover Artwork for “Don’t Need You” (Single) (Released on May 15, 2020) (via Ourness Pty Ltd.)

That’s all I’ve got time for – and probably enough rave reviewing for your eyes to read. They won’t get much of a short rest, however, because duty calls tomorrow for another new weekly entry in our Scuzz Sundays series – where we revisit an Emo-era Pop-Punk classic from the late 90’s up to the mid-00’s. Join me then – for an in-depth look back at a single coming from a Rap-Rock group famously native to South Gate, Carolina who became the first Latin-American Hip-Hop group to earn a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame in 2019. If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when every new daily post is up and why not like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/

Today’s Track: Noga Erez – “End Of The Road”

March 2, 2021 — Leave a comment

A potential landmark in the journey of an emerging singer-songwriter. New post time!

  • Pictured: Cover Art for “KIDS” (LP) (Released on March 26th, 2021) (via City Slang Records)

Good Morning to you! My name is Jacob Braybrooke, and it’s time once again for me to get typing up for your daily track on the blog, because it is always my day-to-day pleasure to write up about a different piece of new music every day! A fresh talent born in Isreal, Noga Erez is an eclectic singer, songwriter and producer based in Tel-Aviv who has established a solid creative relationship with her partner, Ori Rousso. We previously covered her Lockdown single, “NO News On TV” a long while ago on the blog, and I liked what I heard back then. The chances are that, even if you may not know who Erez is, you may have heard her music anyway. That’s because her single, “Dance While You Shoot”, was used in a TV advertising campaign for Apple Music following it’s release in 2017. That year, she also released her debut album, “Off The Radar”, to a good critical reception. Four years later, and it’s time for the follow-up. Her sophomore LP, “Kids”, is set to release at the end of the month, on March 26th, via City Slang Records. The announcement was paired with the release of a new single, “End Of The Road”, which reflects on human mortality in the face of a rugged, stylish hip-hop beat and some comically meaningful commentary on modern life. The new LP features collaborations with Blimes and Reo Cragun, and previous singles such as “NO News on TV”. Let’s see her perform her latest track for Succulent Sessions below.

Noga Erez describes her upcoming long-player release as “These are songs about what we inherit from past generations, how we pass things on. How this game of evolution of our culture and humanity is very much in our hands. We were all somewhat at a blank page at some point”, before concluding that, “KIDS talks about humanity’s potential for both beauty and destruction”, in her press release – and now completed with a full backing band, it’s shaping up to be one of her most polished offerings yet. The music influences on “End Of The Road” feel as diverse as they come, with shades of Gorillaz, Fiona Apple and M.I.A. being thrown in a Jazz-oriented production package, and a little bit of Billie Eilish tossed in with the darker pop melodies too. Another striking touch in this single is the Hip-Hop stylings, with Erez rapping lines like “I got celings but I burn in the sun, Never miss one shot, I’m sick as a gun, I got mortal friends, I’m dead as they come” and “Right hand, chop it/Like a pickpocket, You had the mic, Now you can’t drop it” at a quick pace where they can be challenging to keep up with – over the top of a muted backing track with a Jazz-inflicted sheen. The chorus builds on these quiet hip-hop deliveries with a wider scope, as the words and the images work in tandem to craft a more aggressive and fiery character. She sings, “I don’t know what really, really happens at the end of the road” with a sharp edge, as the driving Power-Pop structure and the half-spoken vocals of the hook really drills it’s way into your ears, singing “But, my trip is mad, I ain’t finished, I got loads” to imply that despite having no answers to the reasons for living, we enjoy the growth of our experiences regardless. The third verse plays out as an unbridled torrent of wordplay, with an almost Pseudo-Scat delivery working up a sweat over the top of more playful Alt-Pop instrumentation. Bizarre to a certain extent and eclectic down a tee, it’s a solid single that manages to really show off Erez’s skills of incorporating an edgy personality into her lyricism, and it’s another signifier that superstardom may possibly be on the way for her with it’s wider appeal to audiences.

  • Pictured: Noga Erez performing an “Off The Radar” session (2017) (Photo by Greg Barnes/RedBull.com)

As I just mentioned beforehand, we previously took an in-depth look at Noga Erez’s Lockdown-themed 2020 anthem, “NO News On TV”, on the blog. With lyrics that anybody could very easily relate to, check it out and see what you make of it here: https://onetrackatatime.home.blog/2020/09/19/todays-track-noga-erez-no-news-on-tv/

  • Pictured: Cover Art for “NO News On TV” (Single) (Released on June 23rd, 2020) (via City Slang Records)

That’s the End Of The Road for my music reviews today – I’ve got work to be getting on with, after all. I can’t believe it’s already been a whole week since we cast our mind back to the late-1980’s Jason Donovan last week, but it’s time for another “Way Back Wednesdays” post tomorrow. This week’s pick is different to what’s come before, as we’re going to pay tribute to a Rock-and-Roll Hall Of Fame-inducted US doo-wop vocal group from the mid-to-late 1950’s, as we remind ourselves of their 1959 cover version of “I Only Have Eyes For You” on the blog tomorrow. If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when every new daily post is up and why not like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/

Scuzz Sundays: OPM – “El Capitan”

February 28, 2021 — Leave a comment

Captain Hook never made it to Admiral – it didn’t Pan out for him. It’s Scuzz Sunday…

  • Pictured: Cover Art for “Menace To Sobriety” (Released on August 15th, 2000) (via Atlantic Records)

Good Morning to you – I’m Jacob Braybrooke, and it’s time for another entry in our “Scuzz Sunday” series where we revisit one of the landmark releases of the Pop-Punk genre and Emo-Rock movement of my childhood, between the late-90’s and the mid-00’s, to see whether the final nail has been put in the coffin of credibility for these relics, a light modification of my day-to-day pleasure to write up about a different piece of music every day! This week’s pick is one that I didn’t even remember initially, meanwhile, it comes from a group with quite a few hits to their name. Although it sounds like the drug ‘Opium’, the Los-Angeles based Rap-Metal band OPM’s name actually stands for “Open People’s Minds”, and they were formed in 1996 by John E. Necro and Geoff Turney in a ‘chance’ meeting on a short bus ride through two mutual friends they were each dating. Although they had never played live together at this point, Atlantic Records still took a gamble and signed them up. They broke out with “Heaven Is A Halfpipe”, which saw chart success internationally and won the Kerrang! Award for ‘Best Single’ in 2000, along with getting to play the single live on an episode of Top Of The Pops. Their debut album, “Menace To Sobriety”, was released in 2000, and it also spawned popular singles in “El Capitan” and “Stash Up” – the former of which was written about the band’s favourite type of rum, although it sounds a lot like ‘Captain’. Later re-recorded in 2012 for the “Heaven Can Wait” EP, the track was originally a #20 hit on the UK Singles Chart. Let’s refresh our memories with it below.

OPM are still making music, and “Menace To Sobriety” was given a 15-year anniversary reissue in 2015. One interesting little fact about this record is that there is also a ‘Clean’ version of the album that exists – where most of the profanities and bad language, and the references to drugs as well, have been essentially edited out of the original recording from the explicit lyrics. Famously re-mixed by IDM producers SoulChild (the duo of Stuart Bradbury and Damien Mendis) in 2001, OPM have sadly fallen down into a fair amount of obscurity since their well-known three singles peaked for them, and their albums since haven’t left much of a mark on relevancy. “El Capitan” is one of their most beloved tracks for their fanbase though, with light sampling effects mixing with the gentle hip-hop production and the heavy reggae-ska influences to express their affections for a rum brand. It was high on product placements for certain, but they were falling within the same wheelhouse as Rap-Rock groups like Less Than Jake and Sum 41 around the time. Starting with an “La La La La La La La”, the track springs to life with a piano sample and a surprisingly light guitar melody. Lines like “I like it on Ice with a Coca Cola, I sip it from LA to Capitola” and “I’ve been rockin since the 1900’s, microphone and two 1200’s” are rapped by each member of the band, in turn, above a relaxed bass guitar riff and a summery vibe. The material becomes much darker in the second half of the track, where the narrative becomes about getting a girl pregnant while being under the influence of alcohol, a theme that you would probably never be allowed to do these days. The final verse goes for a slight “breath of fresh air” attitude, saying that the real Captain Morgan wasn’t much fun, but according to the band, “He sure made a good ass bottle of rum”, in their own lyrics. I think where the track stutters is that it doesn’t have anything creative to say to me, and I’m failing to see where much of the art lies here. It’s just pretty short on ideas overall. However, I still thought that parts of the track were good, particularly the first verse where the instrumentation feels quite funky and bright. Reggae was a very clear inspiration for the band, and I like how the music isn’t heavy. It’s far from a retread of what other bands were doing at the time, but I found the subject matter of teen pregnancy later in the track to be distasteful and unsettling, thus letting it down in the process. The rhyming is a little basic, but the sampling feels fresh. I just wish the band had gone a slightly different route with the lyrics, and simply not “gone there”. It is not a total failure, though, for what it’s worth. I liked it until the second verse, and if it was re-written, it would be a bit more likeable.

  • Pictured: John E. Necro (Lead Vocals), Geoff Turney (Lead Guitar), Jonathan Williams (Keyboard), Etienne Franc (Bass Guitar) & Gary P. Dean (Drums) (Date n/a) (Photo via The Moshville Times)

That’s it for another week, and we’ve also reached the end of another month too. Please feel free to join me again tomorrow, where I’ll be trying to kick off the new month of March in style with a recent floor filler from a Reading-born electronic music producer who has collaborated with many artists including Nile Rogers, JP Cooper, Clairo, Ray BLK, Frances and LANY – with the featured vocalist of tomorrow’s track being Canadian R&B project RHYE, who we covered just a short week ago on the blog as a solo artist. If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when every new daily post is up and why not like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/